The mouth is a habitat for microbial growth and colonization. Within the mouth, the gums, lips, oral mucosa (cheek), palate, tongue and teeth provide surfaces for the colonization and accumulation of bacteria. Teeth are unique in the oral cavity because they have hard, non-shedding surfaces where bacteria and their products (dental plaque) can significantly accumulate, especially in approximal areas and along the gingival crevice.
Dental plaque is a rough sticky film on the oral cavity tissues that is made up of saliva, bacteria and food particles which adheres tenaciously to the tissues, especially to teeth, at points of irregularity or discontinuity. Within a few hours of teeth cleaning, a film of salivary mucus, consisting primarily of proteins, forms a pellicle layer on the teeth and other tissues. Various oral bacteria colonize the mucus and multiply, forming a biofilm of plaque. Carbohydrate food debris adheres to the mucus and is digested by some types of plaque-causing bacteria. The bacterial digestion produces both by-products which add to the plaque accumulation and acid which erodes tooth enamel.
The oral bacteria in dental plaque includes many gram positive and gram negative microorganisms embedded in an extracellular matrix of insoluble polysaccharides, firmly attached to teeth and other oral surfaces. The colonization of bacteria to form dental plaque follows an ecological pattern where a few pioneer species colonize enamel surfaces. More and other bacteria adhere to the pioneers and the plaque progresses through stages of increasing microbial complexity. Mature plaques, often found in protected regions of the teeth, such as cracks, approximal regions and in the gingival crevice, typically contain both aerobes and anaerobes. Saliva and crevicular fluid are a source of nutrients for the dental plaque. Local conditions affect the metabolic activity and composition of dental plaque.
If not prevented or removed, plaque may become embedded with mineral salts, containing calcium and phosphate, to form a hard crusty deposit, calculus or tartar, on the teeth. Calculus may be white or yellowish in color or may be stained or discolored by extraneous agents. Calculus tends to be more unsightly than plaque and much more difficult to remove from the teeth. The toxins in plaque and calculus can irritate the gingival tissues surrounding the coated teeth, causing inflammation and destruction of the gums which can lead to other complications.
Applicant has unexpectedly found that fimbriae from Actinomyces Viscosus bacteria inhibit the adherence of Actinomyces Viscosus (A. viscosus), Streptococcus sanguis (S. sanguis) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) from adhering to the tissues within the oral cavity, resulting in the prevention and inhibition of dental plaque growth. Applicant has also unexpectedly found that A. viscosus fimbriae reduce the amount of A. Viscosus, S. sanguis and P. gingivalis already adhering to the oral cavity tissues when the fimbriae are introduced.